University of Washington SoN Fall 2013

U.S.A. Washington

Published

Anyone applying to the UW SoN for fall 2013? Anyone else FREAKING OUT about it like I am?

Specializes in mental health.

I also applied to UW. I'm pretty nervous...

Specializes in MBU, ICU, Burns, Med-Surg.

I just wanted to drop by and wish you all luck in your application process! I'm sure you all worked really hard to get to this point! So now is the time to just sit back, breath, and relax because once you've started the program, there isn't a whole lot of that. I'm in the same cohort as Abalone and Jloya and I think we can all attest to this. In following what my classmates have done, if you have any very last minute questions, I'd be glad to help!

Turned in my app today. Feels good to finally be able to apply. I also applied to SPU.

Question: Got any tips for the proctored essay?

Specializes in MBU, ICU, Burns, Med-Surg.

I did rather poorly on the proctored essay, in fact, I walked out of the auditorium and totally wrote off my chances at UW. I spent way too much time doing the elementary math and not enough time on the essay. I don't even remember if I completely finished it in time (yep, it was that bad)!! So my advice is this. Trust your math skills. Yes, show your work, but don't over think it because it really is as easy as decimals and adding. I spent a long time thinking, "it shouldn't be this easy, I must be overlooking something!" Others may have advice on what scenario they "want" you to choose. But I say, go with the scenario you can write about without having to spend 15 min thinking about how to answer it. That hour will go by so fast, and you'll want a few extra minutes to polish it, so go with the scenario that comes easiest to you. Lastly, i dont know what the format will be this year, but there's a good chance it will follow the same format we had. 3 healthcare related scenarios and you pick one to write about. The few hours before the essay, I started to think about my healthcare experiences and what i learned from them. This helped me reflect on why i wanted to be a nurse. Most importantly, relax! I was way too tense and I felt that my writing did not reflect what I truly wanted to say. And if you walk out of the proctored essay feeling like you totally bombed it, just know that I felt that way too, but I got in....now I just need to finish!!

Thanks armynurse68! I am hoping I get into UW. How are you liking the program? I have heard mixed reviews. I am a graduate of SPU, and am finishing my final 3 pre-reqs there now, so I have a really strong chance of getting into that program. However, I am not sure I want to pay for another private undergrad degree.

What is their testing like? How is the large class size? Are you able to form community/ does your clinical group stay the same all year?

Thanks

Specializes in MBU, ICU, Burns, Med-Surg.

I love it here and I think the majority of my classmates feel this way. They really want to see each student succeed. Our lectures are big with about 90 students but our lab/clinical is 8. The large class lectures don't bother me at all. We do small group things in class a lot. We change clinical groups each quarter, but I think it's a nice way to meet new classmates! I've only just begun my 2nd quarter, but I became very close with my 1st clinical group. I compared a lot of programs here in Seattle, and UW still stands out to me. If you want more details, let me know!

Good luck to everyone!

I applied to UW too.

Specializes in Medical/ Surgical.

I applied to the BSN program as well. I've already been accepted into the ABSN program. Ideally, I would like to attend the traditional BSN program because the cost is about half of cost to attend the ABSN program and I would be able to use the tuition exemption program. However, I do like the fact that the ABSN program is only 15 months. I am a single mother of a two year old, and it sounds more appealing to make sacrifices for 15 months as opposed to two years. But, under any circumstance, I wish each and every one the best of luck. We all worked extremely hard to get to this point.

How's everyone holding up so far? Can March come by any faster?!?!?:down: I recently found out from PLU SoN that they won't accept my prerequisites taken at a technical college, although I was admitted into the school itself. Guess it's a policy of theirs. BUMMER. Anyone else applied to PLU SoN?? I'll just keep my fingers crossed that SU or UW will go through... :nailbiting:

Specializes in mental health.

I ended up having to take a year of my pre-req's over, Irienna...Mainly because SU and PLU wouldn't take them. I'm just sitting here biting my fingernails hoping to make it into the proctored essay. I'm just SO NERVOUS about it.

Intelligentqueen, I was a single mom for a long time while going to school too. I know how challenging it can be!

Specializes in IR, Cardiac Tele,Burns, Peds Trauma & ER.

Here is some more info on the proctored essay for those who get there...

First things first.... LISTEN TO EACH AND EVERY INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO YOU BY CAROLYN CHOW AT THE BEGINNING. I SAW ESSAYS HANDED IN THAT DID NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS, THESE ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED.

FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!!!!!

As Armynurse stated, DO NOT OVERTHINK the basic math. These are simple medication calculation problems, even if you have no experience with them, they are simple conversions. If you are a little dusty in simple conversions find a website that tests with basic conversions, and when I mean basic, I mean BASIC conversions. One example: Order is for 75mg of a medication by mouth each morning. The pill comes in 15mg capsules. How many capsules will you give?

In regards to the scenarios, there are three, i will not elaborate on ours in case they are similar. I picked the one I was unfamiliar with and I mentioned that in the essay. I also put a personal experience as to why that patient could relate and trust in me as their nurse. I have plenty of experience in the other two scenarios and I thought that they might want to see me try something out of my realm of comfort. By the time you get to the essay you will probably have anywhere between 45-50 minutes to write a rough draft/summary and then to your final draft. Those minutes FLY BY!!! I got to the five minute warning and was no where near my conclusion. I had to write fast, I misspelled through, I mean are you kidding me?!? I finished right as they said pencils down... I lost about 5 pounds in sweat that night.

Take what experience you have and make that essay your own experience. There isnt much you can really do once you turn in it except for develop an awesome case of GERD, poor eating habits and many nights of horrible sleep just waiting for the response. Just wait until you start the program, it gets even worse ;) I am taking a break now from my homework which has totally taken up this 3 day weekend for our first exam on week 3...

The time between you hear from the SoN and starting the program will fly by. Enjoy your summer off, take a vacation and prepare to enter the hot gates.... The professors are awesome and really work for you and will help you as much as possible no matter what personal issues come up... I can personally attest to this.

This truly is a spectacular program and I can see why it is the number one program in the nation, they make you work and make you think.... ALOT!!!

Good Luck,

If anyone else has questions, throw them out there. I only access this site once every week or two weeks so i might be delayed in your answer, but thats just how it is with this program.

+ Add a Comment